Cataract surgery
 

So looks like I will need cataract surgery in the left eye (right one not too bad so will wait for that one) I have a consult with the surgeon on Wednesday for all the scoop. Read up on the procedure and most definitely am not thrilled I'll be awake when they come at my eye with the numbing needle.

I don't know anyone who's had this surgery so just curious to hear about the experience if you're willing to share.

My pain threshold on a scale of 1-10 is a big fat zero :rolleyes: Hopefully it won't be too uncomfortable?

Thanks.

Never had eye surgery, we share the same tolerance for pain. When it is over please share your experience with us. It is inevitable that I too will have it one of these days. Good luck with it Gypsy I know it will go well!

I have never had cataract surgery, but my mother has. Post-op pain was minimal. As I recall her biggest complaint was itching/irritation, which led her to rubbing her eye, which led to a infection.

Catarack Surgery:
 

No big deal, easier than root canal. Feels like cold running water over your eye. Surgeon does one eye & come back in 1 week for the other eye. Not many restrictions, wear dark glasses, & you can't drive home after surgery. After @ 5 days post 2nd surgery AMAZING RESULTS, you can read font the size used in phone books, newspaper & magazine print no problem. depth perception returns and your eyesight is better than it ever was, At least for me it still is & I had both eyes done 10 years ago.... Never had a problem .. .Good Luck

Pretty much the wife's experience. She wore a bandage/patch for a short time; must've been "Pirate Week" or something... ARRRR! Felt strange; results amazing. She reports colors pop like she hadn't seen in years. Also, having selected the long-distance version of the lens for replacement, she now has Chuck Yeager vision and points out wildlife to me across fields when we go for drives. Depending on the lens some may still wear "cheaters" for reading glasses. Depends on what's important & discussions you've had with your Doc.

Best wishes & let us know how it goes.

Best of luck Gypsy and a quick recovery.

Good Luck with the operation.
:lifter
Prayers for success :D

Thanks for all the responses and wishes! I will report back about my experience after the surgery. (hopefully the last week of June for the first eye) :lifter

The actual procedure takes about 15 minutes with no pain. If you wear glasses, you can have a corrective lens inserted. I have had both eyes done with corrective lens inserted in each eye. Best thing I could have done. When the bandages were removed, it was like a light switch had been flipped. Instant 20/20 vision.

Very nice!

In and out with no pain I can remember at all...fine the next day for vision too...just put eye drops in for a bit...one a steroid one for discomfort I believe.

Piece of cake...

BTW...a lot of you younger guys will have early onset cataracts if you've had head trauma.... just sayin....

Thanks! I planned to ask about the corrective lenses. One eye is near sighted one is farsighted and I have astigmatism so I have that going for me. :D I actually like wearing glasses but we'll see.

PRB my regular eye doc had told me there will be a couple of different drops to use afterward for a bit. Thank you!

You are getting new lenses...think of a M&N candy....the hard shell is your lens now...they remove the chocolate and replace it with a lens with little wings that hold it in place.....I have 20/20 vision but that depends upon the Guy working up the lens make up.
The only after effect is a haloing during nite driving...and your nite vision will not be as acute...obviously that lens can't adapt as your normal one can....I'm good with it tho and you can adapt to it.

My wife wants to get them, too, but her night vision sucks now. Turns out it's even worse when she forgets to take her clip-ons off at night. Are you sure you didn't leave yours on? :D

Good luck Gypsy! XO had repair of a macular hole. Piece of cake amd she has zero pain tolerance too. Best wishes for a fast recovery.:D

Roger that!

Yowsa! Glad she is good, thanks for the wishes!

I had both eyes done a few years ago. Medicare will pay for "normal" lenses. Corrective lenses, which I got, cost a little extra. The lenses corrected nearsightedness and astigmatism. My surgeon also did a "laser tune-up" at the same time. My sight is 20/20. No "haloing" at night and no problems at all.

I recommend you look at all the options available. Once the new lenses are in, it is much more difficult to take them out and change them.

Good luck.

I have been experiencing the haloing...thanks for the advice!

I had an astigmatism, too. the lenses corrected it. My doctor said he used to put one lens in for distance, one for close up but no one could pass the DMV eye test with both eyes! So, both are for distance but I can read with no problem.

That's a funny story. Given the circumstances under which I shoot with both eyes open that would've gotten interesting, maybe.
:)

Met with the surgeon today for a pre-exam. I am definitely more at ease with everything.

Evidently my astigmatism isn't really all that bad so he will use lenses to correct vision for distance and if I need to i can use cheaters to read. I'm good with that plan especially from a financial copay perspective,

Waiting for the scheduler to call to set me up, game plan is the week of 29 June.

Hoping that this procedure goes smoothly for you and that you experience minimal anxiety, no pain and no post procedure issues.

Thanks! They told me I'll get drugs...it will all be good! :D

I have just had both eyes done. Very little discomfort and the results were OK, not brilliant, however my surgery was done before bigger problems arose.
After the job was done, the optometrist found a macular problem, and said I should get it fixed before I had spectacles made. Went back to the eye clinic and the original Doc said it was a common problem easily solved with an injection into the eye.
This was one of the most painful things I have ever experienced and it made black floaters in the vision of that eye that have not gone away, despite the Doc saying they will after a few days. It is now months later.
Good luck.

I had both eyes done a few years ago by a doctor in Illinois. The procedure itself wasn't too bad.

Unfortunately, my doctor did a poor job removing all of the lens affected by cataracts, resulting in still having "corona" around lights at night.

Overall sight improved, except at night.

Hope your procedure goes well.

Oh my goodness I wonder if you should see another eye doctor? I do hope it will improve.

bblhead672 I am scheduled at the Wheaton Eye Clinic, one of the best. It's a tad more expensive (about 3300.00 out of pocket for both eyes due to a high deductible :eek:) but...it's my eyes.

That said I have been working a reduced work schedule for 3 months with at least another month in sight unfortunately so I may have to push the procedure until after the first of the year. Doesn't make me happy but it is what it is for now.

Guy this is NOT normal! Report this to a different ophthalmologist and report results back here ASAP!!

Well decided to dip into some funds and get this done, I'm tired of blurry vision and not being able to read clearly.

Left eye will be done 6/29 and right eye on 7/14.

Will report in with my experience. :lifter

All the best. You should sail through this. :)

I'll certainly be praying for "excellent" results!

X 2. Best wishes to you Gypsy.

Thanks everyone, appreciate it!

First eye is done! The procedure was easy enough, They numbed my eye and gave me an IV to take the edge off. Didn't feel a thing except a bit of pressure now and then.

Currently feels like I have a pound of sand in my eye :eek: and vision is blurry/filmy but this is all normal according to the doc. Have a followup with them tomorrow morning and hope to see/feel some improvement by then.

Excellent. Pretty similar to HH6's experience here. Do what they tell you & kind of zone out till the followup.
:cool:

Glad to hear you made it through your procedure, one down one to go. Hang in there I shall continue to wish you the best!

Good news so far !

Rest, heal and be a good patient and take your drugs !

Thanks. I was a bit worried, thought maybe I would have had clearer vision within several hours.

Thanks B, I did schedule the right eye for mid-July but now may hold off a few more weeks until I see how this one heals.

Roger that!

I ignored my number one rule yesterday, always trust your gut.

Turns out my pain was not normal at all. It felt like I had glass in my eye, I could not blink without pain and my eye was irritated and tearing up constantly. When I called the surgery center yesterday I was told the "discomfort was normal and to rest and use the drops." I really should have insisted they see me.

This morning i could not open my eyelid without excruciating pain. Saw the surgeon for follow up first thing this morning, turns out my cornea was scratched during the procedure.

Numbing drops alleviated the pain, now I currently have a temporary non-prescription contact lens in and have been pain free since.

My gut is also telling me the lens may not be positioned correctly, looking straight ahead the right corner to mid-eye area seems clear enough, the left half of the eye is quite blurry.

Since my eye was so extremely irritated for for the past 24 hours I'm letting things be for now, we'll see if more healing takes place and if things improve.

I am scheduled to go back on Friday to have the contact removed, hopefully the scratch will be healed.

All of this is disconcerting, I went to one of the best eye surgery centers and my surgeon has an excellent rating with over 500 procedures performed. Guess it's just my dumb luck. :munchin

Oh yeah, I decided the procedure for my right eye is not happening any time soon. :eek:

Damn, that sucks in a major way ma'am. Not making light of your plight but I bet the surgeon used words like the cornea "got scratched" versus, "Sorry, I scratched your cornea."

I'm glad you have a 'punchlist' of topics to take up with him on Friday.
Damn.